The Chihuahua is the tiny little pup that you love to hate or love to love. Fiercely independent, at times troublesome to raise and train, yet full of character and personality, there are several different types of Chihuahua that are classified by their physical attributes.
In this article, we’ll explore the history of the Chihuahua dog breed, before delving into the different types of Chihuahua dogs and the subtle physical traits that distinguish them from one another.
A brief history of Chihuahuas
Chihuahuas are certainly an intriguing breed. These tiny pooches are so small they’ll almost certainly need a bed ramp for dogs to get up on the couch with you for a cuddle, but despite their small stature and size, they are notoriously independent and stubborn when they want to be!
In recent years, the Chihuahua, and its many variations, have become incredibly popular dogs, however. Despite their stubbornness, they are fantastically intelligent dogs to have around the house – they are full of character, and they’ll reward your faith in them with endless loyalty. They are also small enough to fit into a handbag, and so Chihuahuas were popularized by fashion icons and reality tv stars (Paris Hilton, famously).
Despite their relatively new claims to fame, though, the tiny Chihuahua has been around for centuries, if not longer!
The Chihuahua is named for the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, where the dog was most commonly found at the turn of the 20th century when the breed first became registered with the American Kennel Club. Before this, the Chihuahua – and larger forms of the Chihuahua – were popular dogs amongst the indigenous nobility, including the Toltecs and Aztecs.
Not all that much is known about the history of the breed, as much of their pre-Colombian history was lost in the Spanish conquest. Dogs similar to Chihuahuas do appear in works of art and culture across the pre-Hispanic Mexican world, though, and it’s very likely that the dog was bred down to be a royal lapdog or court dog.
Common features and common characteristics of Chihuahuas
The Chihuahua continues to evolve, particularly as they have been popular across the world, and demand for different characteristics has led to selective breeding.
